1. Field of the Invention
One embodiment of the disclosed invention relates to a photoelectric conversion device and a manufacturing method thereof.
2. Description of the Related Art
As one of photoelectric conversion elements which directly convert received light into power by a photovoltaic effect to output the power, a solar cell can be given (see Patent Document 1). A solar cell needs no energy conversion from received light into thermal energy or kinetic energy in generating power, which is different from a conventional power generation method.
Further, a photoelectric conversion device which has a solar cell and a converter circuit, which converts direct-current (DC) power generated by the solar cell, provided on a non-light receiving surface of the solar cell or the like has attracted attention as a small or middle-sized solar photovoltaic system or an emergency electric supply unit (see Patent Document 2 and Patent Document 3).
As such a converter circuit, a DC-DC converter (direct current—direct current converter), a DC-AC converter (direct current—alternating current converter), or the like can be given, for example (see Patent Document 4 or Patent Document 5)
However, the converter circuit is formed using, for example, a power MOS, IGBT, a Schottky-barrier diode, or the like, so that manufacturing cost is high. Further, it is unfortunately possible that the photoelectric conversion device including the converter circuit cannot be thinner because the converter circuit is thick (see Patent Document 2).
Moreover, the converter circuit needs to be provided with a heat radiation structure to prevent reduction in power conversion efficiency due to a temperature increase (see Patent Document 3). Accordingly, it is difficult to make a photoelectric conversion device including the converter circuit thinner.